True to the novel by Belgian writer Amelie Nothomb, the theatre adaptation of ‘Fear and Trembling’ by French actor and stage director Layla Metssitane shines a spotlight on the clash of East-West cultures and the skewed gender dynamics in the corporate world even as it narrates the story of a woman’s journey of self-realisation.
‘Fear and Trembling’ written in French by the Belgian author, tracks the life of Amélie, a young Belgian woman who joins a Japanese company with the job title of a translator at the bottom of the corporate command chain, and whose career slides further and further in oppressive conditions to a point where she is cleaning bathrooms.
Layla Metssitane’s stage adaptation, ‘Stupeur et Tremblements’ was premiering in India at the Alliance Francaise here after garnering critical acclaim across several countries, including Asutralia, Canada, Mexico and Bolivia.
“The novel that was adapted for theatre uses Japan as a setting, but the struggles of the heroine Amelie-san might as well reflect a far more prevalent predicament of women than we would like to believe even in developed societies. Perhaps only the degree of discrimination differs,” said Ms. Layla.
As the lights dimmed inside the auditorium of Alliance Francaise, Layla appears on stage wearing a niqab. The play proceeds from thereon as a monologue. At times, she morphs into Japanese characters using traditional white make-up as the audience is initiated into the deep-rooted dogmas that have shaped attitudes to women in Japanese society.
Though the novel details Amelie-san’s interactions with several men at the corporate workplace, Layla limits her portrayal to the heroine’s association with Fubuki-san her boss at the Yumimoto company and three other male colleagues.
Layla’s show, which uses English sub-titles, concludes almost exactly as it began with her wearing a niqab.
“But, the difference at this point in the heroine’s life is that her mind has been liberated,” said Layla.
Layla read the novel when she was 18 years old and was instantly able to identify with the culture contrasts as she herself hails from Morocco.
The theatre adaptation came about under the La Compagnie Theatre des Hommes and since 2010, ‘Fear and Trembling’ has been on the road with support from The Société littéraire de La Poste et de France Télécom.
Layla’s collaborator in the production Emmanuel Orain helped with the translation.
In the last two years alone, Stupeur et Tremblements’ has toured 20 countries. The next stop for Layla’s show is the Alliance Francaise in Chandigarh on September 21, Delhi on September 23 and the Theatre Village in Kathmandu on September 25 before touring Canada.
In spite of its Japanese setting, why has the production not been staged there yet? “Yes, we have plans to take the show to Japan as well as US and South Korea next year,” said Ms. Layla.
On premiering the adaptation in India in Puducherry, she felt it was a “gift”.
